Meeting Chantelle and Moman from Rum Jungle Bali

One of the first bars in Legian was Rum Jungle. One of the streets that connects Jl. Legian with the beach is informally known as Rum Jungle Rd. This afternoon I talked with the owners, Chantelle from Switzerland and Moman from Indonesia. Rum jungle opened 16 years ago when you literally had to go through jungle to get there. I know in 1993 I stayed in an expats house in the area with double thick mosquito nets, huge Dutch furniture, like something out of a Humphrey Bogart movie.

That house was surrounded by jungle. Talking to Chantelle and Moman I learned that Rum Jungle moved 15 months ago to its present location on Jl. Padma Utara. The clientele is almost exclusively Australian and alas, the restaurant is closing due to lack of Aussies in Bali. The owners are not disheartened, they know the market is changing and plan a new restaurant in Seminyak. Rum Jungle is 600sq m, which is large and the rent is a killer. Like Goa Cafe, Rum Jungle is a piece of Bali history, now becoming a memory.